Best computer baseball game ever

[HomerOne]

I have played lots of baseball simulations on the computer, more than I would like to admit. Nothing beats OOTP for its realism, accuracy, attention to detail and, most of all, fun!

When you play this game, you can see right away the incredible amount of time and effort put into making this game the best that it can be. And while it may not ever be perfect, I believe that it is hands-down the greatest baseball simulation out there.

Where else can you play the current MLB season, replay a past season, play globally or in a fictional league? Where else can you download logos and uniforms and communicate with users from around the world on configuring these for your teams? You simply cannot.

Full disclosure: I never worked for a professional baseball team, but I believe this game is so realistic that many of us feel like we could add GM to our resume and not have it be a stretch.

Thank you, OOTP!

[Padreman]

We know it's the best ever leaves alone we are busy trying to run our franchises

[themonk]

Originally Posted by HomerOne

I have played lots of baseball simulations on the computer, more than I would like to admit. Nothing beats OOTP for its realism, accuracy, attention to detail and, most of all, fun!

I agree. It's not only the best baseball text sim, but probably the best sports text sim.

Love its depth, customizability, and flexibility. Creating fictional baseball worlds, with its own customizable features ( in terms of rules, schedules, league modifiers, finances, face gens, jerseys, etc.) is a breeze in OOTP, and can't be matched by any other game (as far as I know).

Your imagination is the only limit when you play OOTP.

Thank you, Markus, for creating this game!

[X3NEIZE]

Originally Posted by themonk

I agree. It's not only the best baseball text sim, but probably the best sports text sim.

Love its depth, customizability, and flexibility. Creating fictional baseball worlds, with its own customizable features ( in terms of rules, schedules, league modifiers, finances, face gens, jerseys, etc.) is a breeze in OOTP, and can't be matched by any other game (as far as I know).

Your imagination is the only limit when you play OOTP.

Thank you, Markus, for creating this game!

2nd only to FM franchise....

[The Wolf]

Originally Posted by themonk

I agree. It's not only the best baseball text sim, but probably the best sports text sim.

Love its depth, customizability, and flexibility. Creating fictional baseball worlds, with its own customizable features ( in terms of rules, schedules, league modifiers, finances, face gens, jerseys, etc.) is a breeze in OOTP, and can't be matched by any other game (as far as I know).

Your imagination is the only limit when you play OOTP.

Thank you, Markus, for creating this game!

I think FM is just as good. Different, but just as good in a different way.

[David Watts]

Originally Posted by The Wolf

I think FM is just as good. Different, but just as good in a different way.

I think we should have a thread--which is better FM or OOTP.....uh wait

[Pdubya64]

It's been probably close to ten years since I bought a version of Baseball Mogul. It was always on my machine back then. Got away from baseball a bit and then found OOTP with I think v.8 or so. Haven't really looked back.

I do have some really pleasant memories of playing Earl Weaver Baseball and Tony LaRussa Baseball. Those were killer games in their day.

Today, if I want a more personal player experience, nothing beats MLB The Show's Road to the Show mode on the Playstation. Awesome.

When I want a manager/GM experience nothing beats Out of the Park Baseball,
Love the feeling of running a team and watching "your guys" grow up and turning your team into a winner.

[jaysdailydose]

I love text sims, and obviously OOTP -- but I do have one comment.

If we could combine the core gameplay of The Show with the managerial portion of OOTP, I'd need a napkin.

Several, actually.

[HomerOne]

Originally Posted by Padreman

We know it's the best ever leaves alone we are busy trying to run our franchises

Don't you mean "leave us alone"?

[RchW]

Originally Posted by jaysdailydose

I love text sims, and obviously OOTP -- but I do have one comment.

If we could combine the core gameplay of The Show with the managerial portion of OOTP, I'd need a napkin.

Several, actually.

Or better stamina.

[oldtimey]

I agree that OOTP is the best when it comes to league management and is the most flexible in how you want to go about your personal business of baseball, but in my favorite phase of the game--between the lines--I find it sorely lacking. I played text sims in the 1980s that handled the actual game on the field better than OOTP does. And this includes lineup/pitching/defense pregame AI. I also find that the play-by-play script lacks true baseball rhythm and leaves out pertinent game info. I am an avid radio baseball fan and I feel a text sim should emulate a good radio baseball broadcast that really allows you to "see" the action. There are also some errors in ball location in the play-by-play script and managerial strategies, such as infield positioning, don't seem to jive with batter tendencies. I have never read something like "He is a strong left-handed hitter, so the infield is shifted to the right," or "The infield is playing in for a chance to cut off the runner coming in from third on a groundball. This kind of commentary is done pre-pitch and adds to the game drama. This is just my opinion, and it is based on OOTP 13. the last version I will probably buy because of issues with in-game presentation. If OOTP 14 has improvement in this area, you are welcome to set me straight.

[The Wolf]

I play and enjoy MLB The Show as a tactical sim.

[Padreman]

Originally Posted by David Watts

I think we should have a thread--which is better FM or OOTP.....uh wait

We should have a thread about "How to run a Franchise" since we have people that don't know how run a team they keep posting "should I sign player?" "Who to draft?", "how to set up line up?" "Should I trade or keep?" "Should I expand?, "Should I take a dump today?"..... How the heck did you get hired when everyone makes decisions for you. I can only imagine Tony LaRussa or Joe Torre asking all other managers "should I start this pitcher?" Or Billy Beene asking all other GM's "Should I trade this player?"

[PSUColonel]

I agree that as far as flexibility goes, OOTP wins hands down. But as somebody who is only interested in taking a modern day league, and moving it into the future, the depth of day to day managerial decisions and in game strategy are what make a sports simulation fun for me. Also realism. I am not really a model train set kind of guy, but more the type who is really looking for a "GM in training" type simulation...not a fun little game where you can just breeze over things. I want extreme depth. So while you can modify OOTP to your liking, once it's all setup...is it as deep and detailed and challenging as FM? I guess that has really been my question all along.

[oldtimey]

Originally Posted by The Wolf

I play and enjoy MLB The Show as a tactical sim.

Yes, I do as well. The AI is as good as it gets for ingame strategies and situational presentation. It is also a great bonus that the AI adjusts for spring training games, All-Star Games and postseason. It also incorporates appropriate bench management when rosters expand. Callups on teams out of the pennant race get a better look than a team fighting for a playoff spot, where they are relegated to pinch run/hit and long relief, as opposed to starting roles to see how they fare in the Bigs. Baseball is a day-to-day game. The Show does this so well that you can't wait to see what happens tomorrow. Games are not played on paper, but on the field, where anything and everything happens. That's probably why we all increase our enjoyment of sports by playing sports sims. We can't get enough of the anything and everything.

[The Wolf]

Originally Posted by oldtimey

Yes, I do as well. The AI is as good as it gets for ingame strategies and situational presentation. It is also a great bonus that the AI adjusts for spring training games, All-Star Games and postseason. It also incorporates appropriate bench management when rosters expand. Callups on teams out of the pennant race get a better look than a team fighting for a playoff spot, where they are relegated to pinch run/hit and long relief, as opposed to starting roles to see how they fare in the Bigs. Baseball is a day-to-day game. The Show does this so well that you can't wait to see what happens tomorrow. Games are not played on paper, but on the field, where anything and everything happens. That's probably why we all increase our enjoyment of sports by playing sports sims. We can't get enough of the anything and everything.

Yes, and the manage-only mode is decent and makes it into a non-arcade strategy game.

[The Wolf]

Originally Posted by PSUColonel

I agree that as far as flexibility goes, OOTP wins hands down. But as somebody who is only interested in talking a modern day league, and moving it into the future, the depth of day to day managerial decisions and in game strategy are what make a sports simulation fun for me. Also realism. I am not really a model train set kind of guy, but more the type who is really looking for a "GM in training" type simulation...not a fun little game where you can just breeze over things. I want extreme depth. So while you can modify OOTP to your liking, once it's all setup...is it as deep and detailed and challenging as OOTP? I guess that has really been my question all along.

You should give MLB The Show 13 a try. Play Franchise Mode and then manage all the games.

[PSUColonel]

Originally Posted by The Wolf

You should give MLB The Show 13 a try. Play Franchise Mode and then manage all the games.

Maybe I should, I haven't owned a console since college...1994. Anyway, does it rival the cerebral aspect of being a GM?

[The Wolf]

Originally Posted by PSUColonel

Maybe I should, I haven't owned a console since college...1994. Anyway, does it rival the cerebral aspect of being a GM?

No. You can trade and promote/demote, but MLB The Show is all about the play of the game on the field. And the graphics are simply amazing.

[PSUColonel]

Originally Posted by The Wolf

No. You can trade and promote/demote, but MLB The Show is all about the play of the game on the field. And the graphics are simply amazing.

Obviously it would be great to combine the two, but that's just not possible at this point yet. I am more interested in having both the GM, and in game strategy, but as I stated I want mind blowing depth. The kind of details others may find to be more like work than fun. I would like to be able to position my defenders any way I wish...I would like to manage a bullpen, I would like to do all the real things a coach and GM do. On the GM side of things, I would like an accurate real world financial model, and have to deal with realistic contracts, and player agents. I would also like to deal with an actual scouting staff, and player development department...along with a full staff of major league and minor league coaches. This is where I feel FM has it over OOTP in many ways. I love OOTP, and would prefer baseball as my sport of choice, but ultimately I would rather sink my time into the most realistic simulation...regardless of sport. It would make my day if OOTP could ever reach this level of detail, but I am not necessarily even sure that is what Markus wants to accomplish. At times I get the feeling he has the attitude that this is a game and it's supposed to be just that. That is fine...but I am just one person who would like more than that. It doesn't mean Markus is wrong...he knows his customer base after all, and if that's what he thinks is prudent, then that's okay. I just feel SI may be a bit more on the page I am coming from, maybe more so than OOTPD.